When Swans Cry
by LesbianCalamity
Summary: After confessing her love for Regina and being rejected, the Savior just wants to lose herself in being there for her kid. So she dusts off a guitar with the intention of giving it to Henry and plays for her mom who can tell something's up. Emma doesn't plan on Regina and her True Love showing up while she's in mid-song. But then again, she hadn't plan on falling for Regina either.
1. Chapter 1

**Title:** "When Swan Cry" (1/1)  
 **A/N:** A prompt from Facebook, actually. R.I.P. to the Purple One. Love the song featured here. Though if I'm honest, when I sat down to write this, I was thinking of the Ani Difranco's cover of it. Because she's an amazing acoustic goddess. I would like to say that along this will very much read as a one-sided love on Emma's part, keep in mind this is told through Emma's POV. I'd like to think that Regina's just scared and doesn't want to risk her heart over something unpredictable like loving Emma. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this. I only looked over it once, so I'm sorry for any and all mistakes.  
 **Songs Used:** Give Me One Reason by Tracy Chapman, Close by Nick Jonas & Tove Lo, Take Me to Church by Hozier, Nicotine by Ani Difranco, and When Doves Cry by Prince  
 **Warnings:** Singing!Emma, OutlawQueen is a thing here, Song Fict, Sad Ending  
 **Prompt: "** Ever since Prince died ( R.I.P) I've been dreaming of Emma singing or performing When Doves Cry to Regina while either she's with Robin or they're in the store with Cora, Neal, ect."  
 **Summary:** Canon Divergent during the Heroes and Villains aftermath just before Emma becomes the Dark One. After confessing her love for Regina during Gold's curse and being rejected, the Savior just wants to lose herself in being there for her kid. So she dusts off a guitar with the intention of giving it to Henry and plays for her mom who can tell something's up. Emma doesn't plan on Regina and her True Love showing up while she's in mid-song. But then again, she hadn't plan on falling for Regina either.  
 **Disclaimer:** I do not own any of these characters, universes or whatever the hell else. They belong to Disney, ABC etc, etc. I claim no rights to copyrighted material and this story is purely for entertainment purposes.

* * *

" _Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to get through this thing called life."  
_ ― Let's Go Crazy, by Prince

* * *

"I didn't know you could play…"

After almost 4 years, there was still a lot her mother didn't know about her. That was the nature of their unique situation. Neither one of them really knew the other. And there was no doubt in her mind that there were little things about her mother that she didn't know and hadn't really bothered to ask about. Something, that made her feel a pang of guilt when she thought about how she still kept her mother, her father, almost everyone really at arms length.

"I haven't in a long time," she confesses, tuning the guitar cradled under her breast. She was doing this by ear, her brow furrowed in concentration as she plucked at the strings. "I was thinking about giving this Henry. I was his age when I started to play. I'm actually surprised he doesn't know how to play an instrument. I mean with Regina raising him-" She stopped when she looked up and noticed her mother's scowl. "What?"

"Emma…" her mother sighed. "Are you and Regina fighting again?"

She made a face. To fight someone they had to want to be around for more than 30 seconds. And Regina "I-Am-A-Snarky-Bitch" Mills couldn't be bothered now that she had Captain Smells-Like-Forest. The moral and just and boring Robin Hood. He was a decent enough guy, Emma supposed, but never confessed out loud. Robin was a good dad and he loved the Evil Queen. Well, he loved Regina at least. And apparently to the mayor that was good enough.

Emma sighed. "Regina and I aren't fighting."

The look her mother gave her said very plainly that she didn't believe her. Well, too bad. Despite being the offspring of fairy tale characters, Emma wasn't an open book. And less so when it came to Regina.

Finally her mother sighed and sat across from her in the loft, baby Neal in her arms. Emma thought she was in for a lecture, or her mother's prodding. But that's not what happened. Her mom smiled and nodded to the newly turned guitar. "Can you play something?"

"What do you want me to play?" Emma asked.

Her mother chuckled. "Anything but the Wheels on the Bus."

The Savior nodded. "Got it."

For the next hour or so Emma played the songs she could remember.

Things from her childhood, well her teenaged years when she thought she wanted to become the next Ani Difranco, or Lisa Loeb.

 _This youthful heart can love you, yes, and give you what you need.  
I said, this youthful heart can love you, oh, and give you what you need  
But I'm too old to go chasing you around. wasting my precious energy._

Some songs were things she'd heard on the radio so much that they were ingrained into her memory.

' _Cause if I want you, then I want you, babe  
Ain't going backwards, won't ask for space  
_' _Cause "space"was just a word made up by someone who's afraid to get too…  
Close, ooh  
Oh, so close, ooh  
I want you close, ooh  
_' _Cause space was just a word made up by someone who's afraid to get close, ooh  
Oh, so close, ooh  
I want you close, ooh  
Oh, I want you close, but close ain't close enough, no…_

Others still were songs that she couldn't stop listening to.

 _Every Sunday's getting more bleak;  
A fresh poison each week.  
'We were born sick, ' you heard them say it.  
My church offers no absolutes;  
She tells me 'worship in the bedroom.'  
The only heaven I'll be sent to,  
Is when I'm alone with you.  
I was born sick, but I love it.  
Command me to be well…_

And finally some were songs she had a deep emotional connection to.

 _Love is a puzzle, some pieces they adjoin.  
It's not like that with us, but I keep flipping that coin.  
I watch you sometimes, from oh so far away.  
But I can't forget you, or anything you say…_

As time when on she realized that all of the songs had a central theme.

They were songs that in some way reminded her of her son's mother.

They were songs that reminded her of Regina.

Emma sighed and ran her fingers through her hair. "One more song, then I have to go give this to Henry."

"Ok," her mother replied and then cooed to her baby brother, "Your sister is very musical, isn't she? Yes, yes she is."

Emma was about to sing her last song before she packed up the guitar and met up with the kid. Hopefully, Regina and/or Robin wouldn't be home. And according to the text her son gave her, Emma was in luck. Because her Majesty had apparently stepped out for the day.

At least she felt lucky until there was a knock on the door.

When her mother got up to answer, Emma started to play. Whoever it was, probably wouldn't insist making small talk if she was in mid-song. Or that was the hope anyway. For all she knew it could be Ashley or Aurora and they'd have to sit and gush about her musical gifts or worst yet, they'd make her come to one of those Mommy and Me classes and Emma would be stuck for most of the day singing "the Farmer in the Dell" and "And The Green Grass Grew All Around" and whatever else.

 _I'd rather get a flesh eating virus,_ she thought when she settled on a song.

 _Dig if you will the picture,  
Of you and I engaged in a kiss.  
The sweat of your body covers me.  
Can you my darling,  
Can you picture this?_

It wasn't until she heard a sharp breath that Emma looked up to find that her son was right, Regina had stepped out for the day. But he neglected to mention she was on her way here and that Robin was with her. Which was just… fan-frakking-tastic.

Regina looked stunning. Not news really. She always looked stunning. She was in something casual. Well, she was dressed in Regina-Casual. It was like business casual only with less khakis and sweater vests. And more plunging necklines and shirts that always looked a touch too small. Her hair was short but growing longer. Emma noticed how the ends kissed her shoulders now.

Robin was… Robin was a hard guy to hate. He loved Regina. There was no doubt about that. And again he was a good enough guy. But Regina deserved more than just good enough. After everything she'd been through… After losing so much… After almost losing herself… Didn't she deserve having her dreams true? Didn't she deserve a person that she could share half of her heart with? Didn't she deserve to win for once?

 _Dream if you can a courtyard,  
An ocean of violets in bloom.  
Animals strike curious poses;  
They feel the heat,  
The heat between me and you._

They were whispering now. Her mother and Regina; going back and forth about Emma's hidden talent, as the former Queen held onto her destined love.

"Did you know she played?"

"No, just found out."

"I see."

"She wants to give the guitar to Henry. Isn't that great?"

"Yes… That's very… thoughtful."

 _How can you just leave me standing?  
Alone in a world that's so cold?  
Maybe I'm just too demanding.  
Maybe I'm just like my father, too bold.  
Maybe you're just like my mother,  
She's never satisfied.  
Why do we scream at each other?  
This is what it sounds like,  
When doves cry._

Emma ignored them. For the most part. But there were times in between chords that she would look and see Regina listening with rapt focus.

 _Touch if you will my stomach;  
Feel how it trembles inside.  
You've got the butterflies all tied up.  
Don't make me chase you;  
Even doves have pride._

It was looks like that, that pissed her off. How could someone look at anyone like the way that she's caught Regina watching her sometimes, and want nothing more with them than to co-parent a child? How could that not be love? Not platonic love. But the kind of love Emma's parents had; solid and real. But, no. According to Regina, Queen of Mixed Signals, Kale Salads, and Silk Blouses, they were "just friends" and that "the Man with the Lion Tattoo" is her True Love. And also that Emma was technically dating "Captain Wears More Makeup Than You, Miss Swan," but that was besides the point.

 _How can you just leave me standing?  
Alone in a world that's so cold?  
Maybe I'm just too demanding.  
Maybe I'm just like my father, too bold.  
Maybe you're just like my mother,  
She's never satisfied.  
Why do we scream at each other?  
This is what it sounds like,  
When doves cry._

The point was, Emma felt like it was rejection. She thought that coming back here, battling the Snow Queen, stopping Regina's crazy sister… twice… She thought that had meant something. But her Majesty had made it clear that it was just something that friends did. And the hand Regina was holding, their fingers weaved together, as their shoulders touched, backed up her claim.

That she, Regina Mills was in love with the Outlaw, Robin Hood. And there wasn't a thing the Savior could do about it.

 _How can you just leave me standing?  
Alone in a world that's so cold?  
Maybe I'm just too demanding.  
Maybe I'm just like my father, too bold.  
Maybe you're just like my mother,  
She's never satisfied.  
Why do we scream at each other?  
This is what it sounds like,  
When doves cry._

Emma strummed the strings one last time and ended the song, clearing her throat. She stood, mumbling something about meeting up with the kid. Emma made it out of the door, navigating her way through the field of landmines that was her romantic life before anyone could stop her..She shut the door behind her, zipped her jacket up high, even though it wasn't remotely cold, and trudged forward.

She'd put this behind her eventually. She'd get over it. She'd move on. But today was not eventually. And right now she needed to get to her son before did something stupid, like agree to find a place and move in with Killian.

Killian…

Another complication Emma didn't want to think about. Because it was beyond her understanding at this point why she was still with him. Did she love him? Yes, in a way. Was it the kind of love that she'd split her heart for? No. Killian was easy. Killian was familiar. She knew what to expect with him. But Killian was also not the first person she thought about after her son. And he wasn't the person that had entire mental playlist rolling around her in her head for.

"Miss Swan…"

Emma sighed and kept walking. She couldn't talk to Regina right now. She just couldn't do it.

"Emma."

Of course when has something like that ever stopped Regina?

"What, Regina?"

"I… We…" the Mayor cleared her throat and tried again. "Did you plan on telling me you're thinking of giving our son a musical instrument. Miss Swan?"

The Savior rolled her eyes. "I am not going to do this with you right now. I just can't. During Gold and Isaac's…" Emma searched for the right word and landed on, "… curse, I told you how I felt in that cave. And when the curse broke you looked at me and then ran right into Robin's arms."

"Emma…"

"I know, Robin is your soulmate."

"And…"

"I'm with Killian. I know, Regina." The blonde sighed. "I just need some time."

She waited for the brunette to say something, anything, but when she didn't, Emma thought Regina had accepted it and couldn't find it in her heart to let the Savior down gently, so she turned away from the Mayor and began to walk away.

"You can't love me…" Regina's voice sounded.

"You can't tell me what to do," Emma said, turning back around. "I do. I don't how or when it happened but it did. And I can't ignore it right now. I mean, what do I have to prove it to you, Regina? Jump into a swirling vortex of pure evil for you? What?"

This time, the Mayor had no words for her. This time when Emma turned to leave, Regina didn't call out to her and the Savior didn't look back. She kept her expression neutral. She wasn't going to break because of it this.

And she held it together until she sank into the driver's seat of the bug, when her eyes began to well with tears and she cried softly and silently as she drove off.

Regina was in love with the Outlaw. And there wasn't a damn thing she could do about it.

* * *

 **Please lemme know what you think with a review. I try to respond to all of them. And if you like my stuff, come and follow me at my new and slowly improving tumblr (MurderouslyAdorkable) or even on Twitter MurderouslyCute.**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** Alright second chapter. It's mostly set up for the third chapter. But people asked for more and here we are.  
 **Songs Used:** Go Your Own Way by Fleetwood Mac, Breakeven by The Script, Let Her Go by Passenger, Fairytale by Sara Bareilles, and Origin of Love from Hedwig And The Angry Inch  
 **Chapter** **Rating:** T (For Mild Language,  & Hook being an ass)  
 **Warnings:** Singing!Emma, OutlawQueen and CaptainSwan is a thing here, Song Fict,  
 **Full Summary:** See Chapter One  
 **Chapter Summary:** We find out what happened during Rumple and Isaac's curse between our two favorite ladies. Emma and Hook have a talk wherein the course of their relationship is forever altered. Of course Regina shows up and Emma is faced with the one person she needed space from.  
 **Disclaimer:** See Chapter One

* * *

" _You don't love someone for their looks, or their clothes, or for their fancy car, but because they sing a song only you can hear."  
_ ― Oscar Wilde

* * *

 **A Day Ago…**

 _Her eyes are puffy, and red; still brimming with tears. Killian's death is her fault. Gold and Isaac, this whole alternative reality, all of it, it's her fault. That savior just wasn't doing her job. And people have died because of her carelessness._

" _Henry, can you give us a minute?" Emma asks._

 _The kid doesn't fight her and just nods. "Sure."_

 _Emma studies Regina as she watches Henry leave. Even with no memory of him, Emma notes that the brunette waits until he's out of sight before she speaks._

" _You know, your son can use some reining in," Regina whispers, probably wanting to spare his feelings. "He's been running around the forest, getting into trouble, spouting nonsense."_

" _Regina, everything he said about this reality…" Emma says. "It's all true."_

" _I doubt that," the brunette dismisses with a roll of her eyes. Her gaze falls on the blonde and lingers before she shakes her head. "I don't know why I'm wasting my time with a madwoman who... Calls herself the savior."_

 _That stings but Emma doesn't back down. She has lost Killian. But Regina still has Robin. Even if they don't remember how much they loved each other. Emma can still make sure that Operation Mongoose doesn't end in failure, despite her feelings on the matter. "Because I can help. Your happiness is still a possibility. Your first step is going after the man you love."_

 _And then Regina says something that shocks her. "My happy ending isn't a man."_

" _Of course not." Emma falters for a second, unsure of how to continue. They needed True Love's Kiss to break this curse. And with her parents' being evil. Regina and her love for the Outlaw was the only thing they had left. "But love is a part of all happiness, and you have to be open to that. Go to Robin Hood. All you have to do is tell him how you feel."_

" _Oh, is that all?" Same old stubborn Regina. Everything had to be a never ending struggle; an aggressive snark-fest that Emma wasn't sure if she wanted to end. "You forgot to mention the part where I'd have to crash his wedding."_

 _Emma wants to shake her. To will her to remember. And perhaps kiss some sense into her. But that last bit is an urge she's learned to curb over the years._

 _At first it had been just a passing curiosity. Just something that she wondered during her first year in Storybrooke before the curse broke. When Regina threatened her, openly mocked her, menacingly gave her fruit, Emma pondered (more often than she'd care to admit) if she could kiss that infuriating, self-satisfied look/smirk off of Regina's face. She never entertained it in any real way. Regina was the woman who raised her son. There was no real reason for Emma to further complicating things._

 _So she let it go, told herself that it was just a fleeting attraction. Nothing more. Even when her feelings deepened, Emma allowed things to get in the way. Neal, Killian, Neverland, Zelena... Every time she allowed her sense of duty get in the way of her irrational need for the woman that her cursed her and her parents._

 _And then Regina's True Love presented himself, all upright and just. And Emma try as she might couldn't find a single flaw with him. So she said nothing, allowed herself to fall in deeper with Killian, because she thought it was the right thing to do. Robin Hood was a certainty and Emma couldn't ask Regina to give up that for the promise of something more. She doesn't even know if Regina does or even could feel the same way._

" _What does your heart tell you?" Emma asks, knowing what every fiber of her being is and has been screaming for her to do since she met this woman._

" _I know what my heart says," Regina confesses, looking away. "But what if his doesn't say the same thing?"_

" _Isn't that a risk you're willing to take?" Emma says, knowing her own answer. For the last four years she had been a coward. "I lost my chance with someone once because she found someone else."_

 _Regina drew closer to her. "I'm... I'm sorry."_

" _The worst part is that I never told her how I felt. Not once. I was too scared. Too scared that... Somehow, saying it would make it real... And would change everything," the blonde confesses. After the words leave her she can't stop. "But now I'll never have a chance to take that next step with her, because she found True Love. And I couldn't stand in the way of that. So I did the noble thing, the thing I thought heroes did and I stepped aside. And now she loves someone else." She reaches for Regina's hand and meets her gaze with tears in her green eyes. "Don't make the same mistake I did."_

 _They're silent for a minute and Regina takes a step closer. Emma closes her eyes for just a second, just one short moment, trying to regulate her breathing and stop herself from crying. She feels warmth on her face, two hands cupping her cheeks, and her eyes spring open, finding dark brown watching her._

" _Regina?"_

" _Yes?"_

" _What are you doing?"_

" _I'm listening to my heart." Dark lips ghosts across pale ones. "Savior?"_

 _A part of Emma knows this is wrong. She shouldn't be doing this, Regina will hate her once they break this curse. There'll be no repairing their shaky friendship and this might be the end of their partnership. But she needs this. Just once. Just one kiss and then Emma could move on._

 _Their lips meet softly and tentatively, both of them unsure. Regina because she thinks this is new and Emma because she knows that it isn't. She doesn't know how Regina feels, but for Emma this is the closest thing she'll have to something real. Her eyes flutter shut, an arm circles around a slender waist, shaking fingers thread through raven locks, and the blonde feels what can only be described as light filling her up; from her toes to the tips of her fingers, until it bursts out from her in all directions._

 _Then, just as quickly as it began, it's over and Regina's pushing away from her._

" _Regina?"_

 _The bandit straightens herself up, running her hands through her hair. "Miss Swan, I believe we have a wedding to stop."_

" _Regina... I-"_

" _Save it. We have work to do."_

* * *

 _Mom,  
Had to pick up a book from Nick. Be back in 15.  
Love,  
Henry_

With a heavy sigh and against her better judgement, Emma settle on the mansion's stoop. She cradled the guitar in her lap, strumming the strings absentmindedly as she waited. She shouldn't be here. Emma should just the instrument by the door with a not. She needed time and distance to get over this but she wasn't going to abandon her son. And even if it killed her inside to see Regina with Robin, she'd bear it for Henry's sake.

Her happiness wasn't more important than his. It wasn't his fault that she like an idiot had fallen for his mother. And it wasn't his fault that Regina didn't love her back.

 _Loving you… isn't the right thing to do…_

A gross understatement. Emma messed up royally when she fell for the former Evil Queen.

 _How can I… ever change things that I do…?_

The million dollar question. How could she stop loving Regina? Especially when she didn't want to.

 _If I could.. Maybe I'd… give you my world… How can I… when you won't take it from me?  
You could go you own way… You can call it another lonely day… You can go your own way…_

Her phone buzzed on the bricks next to her and she ignored it. If it was Henry, then he was telling her he was in route. And if it was another else… Well, it didn't matter. The only person she could stand to face was her son.

It would have been too hard if was anyone else. Her mother, her father, Killian, Regina - especially, Regina. Regina, who she loved. Regina, whose trust she no doubt betrayed by confessing it.

 _Staring at the ceiling in the dark;  
Same old empty feeling in your heart,  
_' _Cause love comes slow and it goes so fast.  
Well, you see her when you fall asleep,  
But never to touch and never to keep,  
_' _Cause you loved her too much and you dived too deep._

Regina, who she couldn't stop thinking about… or singing about.

Even as she continued, going through the catalogue of songs she had stored in her head, every one of them reminded her of the woman that had raised her son for 13 years.

 _Oh, you got his heart and my heart and none of the pain.  
You took your suitcase, I took the blame.  
Now I'm tryna make sense of what little remains, ooh…  
'Cause you left me with no love… and honour to my name…_

This was ridiculous. Regina was in love with someone else. And this was Emma's own fault for believing that she could be convinced to leave her supposed soulmate. Maybe this was the just the fallout from fighting fate. Maybe she needed to fall for Regina to see that when it came to fairytale characters and their true loves that perhaps it was better to stay out of the whole affair.

After all True Love was magic. Or whatever lame ass crap her parents were always spouting off about. Gold too. True Love being the most powerful magic ever and all of that jazz.

There were some days Emma wished she wasn't the daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming, especially if it meant she was doomed to never find True Love. Or worse yet she'd find it and she'd lose it because whoever they were they wouldn't compare to Regina.

 _I… don't… care... for your fair-y-tales…  
You're so worried about the maiden,  
Though you know she's only waitin',  
On the next… best… thing… _

Her phone buzzed again and this time Emma stopped playing to check the text, thinking that maybe there was something wrong. There wasn't. It was just Snow checking in… again. And while that was annoying, at least it was Regina.

 **BIRTHGIVER: Emma… you know that I love you…**

The Savior knew better than to respond right away. Mary Margaret was one of those people that sent what could very well be a single text in waves, and overused ellipses. And while Emma lover her, it was one of her mother annoying habit. So the blonde waited for the flood of message she knew were coming.

 **BIRTH GIVER: And I just… I want you to find some happiness…**

Emma groaned, This was part of the reason she was with Killian. Her parents, without meaning to put her under a lot of pressure. "The Product of True Love" should be with a True Love of her own, right? Neal had been their first choice, however he was gone. Killian wasn't. And was also the added bonus of Killian not being their former mortal enemy.

 **BIRTH GIVER: You deserve to be happy…**

 _Kinda hard when the person of my dreams is in love with someone else, Mom._

 **BIRTH GIVER: Regina… she deserves to be happy, too, Emma…**

With a frown, the Savior went to tap out a quick response to her mother to ask her what she had meant when…

"Swan…"

She didn't even look up. "Killian…"

"Waiting for Henry?" the pirate asked.

And Emma nodded. "He went to a friend's. Should be back in a few."

Hook smiled. "And the reason you're out here and not inside is because her Majesty is cross with you."

Regina's not here," Emma confessed with a listless sigh.

"Everything alright, love?" he asked.

"Yes." Her tone isn't convincing. "I guess."

Killian's gaze bored into her, studying her in silence as he sits down next to her.. And she fidgeted under the eight of her pensive stare, wondering what he was thinking until…

"I thought it was just her," he finally said, chuckling (albeit bitterly) when Emma's brow furrowed in confusion. "Regina and I have a history." As the Savior's bemusement turned to anger, Killian quickly added, "Easy there, Swan. It's not that kind of history. But I know her better than she'd ever give me credit for. And you'd have to be a fool to not notice the way she looks at you."

Emma picked her head up and met Killian's blue eyes, her green ones shimmering with just a tiny bit of hope. "How does she look at me?"

"How I look at you, love," Killian replied, wistfully (well wistfully for Hook). "Like you're magic. I always thought it wasn't returned on your end because I've never known anyone who Regina held affections for not to fight tooth and nail just be near her when they felt the same. But I see it now. I was just ignoring the way you look at her."

"Killian… I…"

He stopped her. "Swan, it's alright. You've saved the day. That means you get the girl. I think those are the rules." When Emma's gaze fell to the ground, the Pirate nodded in understanding. "You told her how you felt and she turned you away."

Emma nodded, trying not to shed any more tears over this but she couldn't keep her voice from cracking when she spoke. "She loves Robin. And I'm with you. She said…"

"I can't help you with the Outlaw, Love," he told her. "But I can help you with us."

"Killian…"

"Don't make me regret it either," Hook ordered her. "I'm not setting you free because I'm some hopeless romantic. I'm doing it because a woman like Regina only comes around once every few hundred years. Trust me, Swan, you won't be doing yourself any favors if you don't at least try."

Emma tried to grin, but it didn't reach her eyes. She didn't want to end things like this. But at the same time she was grateful that this wasn't going to be like pulling teeth. "Thank you, Killian."

"You can thank me by singing me a little song, Love."

The Savior frowned. "Uh… no."

His sad smile shifted, foreshadowing his mischevious intent. "Even after I did the noble thing," he began. "Even after I stepped aside so you can woo your Queen, you can't even sing one little diddy for me? Swan, I'm hurt. Truly. You wound me."

The Savior groaned. She knew she'd was going regret this. "Fine. But don't say a word. You make fun of me and I stop. I won't play anymore. Am I clear?"

"As clear as the waters of the Fountain of Youth, love."

"Why did I date you again?"

His grin brightened. "Because you have a type." And because Emma could argue, Killian explained himself. "Dark hair, dark past, working to step out of the shadow of their dark deeds, as they long to walk with someone in the sun."

Emma rolled her eyes at his words but said, "One song."

 _When the earth was still flat, and the clouds made of fire,  
And mountains stretched up to the sky, sometimes higher…  
Folks roamed the earth, like big rolling kegs.  
They had two sets of arms. They had two sets of legs.  
They had two faces peering, outta one giant head,  
So they could watch all around them, as they talked; while they read.  
And they never knew nothing of love.  
It was before oh-oh, the origin of love._

Killian was smiling as she played. She hadn't even sung in front of him before. Or anyone. When she first started with the guitar Emma only sang when she playing. And she hadn't played for years. Still, she had that same gravelly voice that couldn't quite hit the high notes.

 _Now there were three sexes then, one that looked like two men glued up back to back, called the children of the sun.  
And similar in shape and girth, were the children of the earth. They looked like two girls rolled up in one.  
And the children of the moon, were like a fork shoved on a spoon. They were part sun, part earth, part daughter, part son.  
Ah-ah-ah… The origin of love._

 _Now the gods grew quite scared of our strength and defiance. And Thor said, "I'm gonna kill them all with my hammer, like I killed the giants."  
And Zeus said, "No, you better let me use my lightening, like scissors, like I cut the legs off the whales, and dinosaurs into lizards!"  
Then he grabbed up some bolts and he let out a laugh, said, "I'll split them right down the middle. Gonna cut them right up in half."  
And then storm clouds gathered above into great balls of fire…_

The first time she heard this song was in a small theater in Brooklyn. It was at a drag show. And it was only a year after that she discovered it was from a musical. She owned the DVD, tucked away somewhere in a dusty storage in Boston, and this song, well it would always hold a special place in her heart.

 _And then fire, shot down, from the sky in bolts, like shining blades of a knife!  
And it ripped, right through the flesh, of the children of the sun, and the moon, and the earth!  
And some Indian god, sewed the wound up into a hole, pulled it round to our belly to remind us of the price we pay!  
And Osiris, and the gods of the Nile, gathered up a big storm, to blow a hurricane, to scatter us away,  
In a flood of wind and rain, and a sea of tidal waves, to wash us all away!  
And if we don't behave, they'll cut us down again, and we'll be hopping round on one foot, and looking through one eye!_

Emma looked up and caught Hook, fiddling with her phone. He saw her looking, startling himself as he dropped it and wiped the tears from his eyes. Emma took a breath, unable to keep his gaze and continued to play.

 _Last time I saw you, we had just split in two.  
You were looking at me. I was looking at you.  
You had a way so familiar, but I could not recognize,  
_' _Cause you had blood on your face; I had blood in my eyes!  
But I could swear by your expression, that the pain down in your soul was the same, as the one down in mine.  
That's the pain that cuts a straight line down through the heart; we called it love._

So we wrapped our arms around each other,  
Trying to shove ourselves back together.  
We were making love, making love.  
It was a cold, dark evening such a long time ago,  
When by the mighty hand of Jove!  
It was a sad story how we became lonely two-legged creatures.  
It's the story of the origin of love; that's the origin of love!

"Miss Swan…"

"Regina!" Emma popped up, abruptly and awkwardly. "What are you doing here?"

"You texted me," Regina replied. "Where's our son?"

With a quick glance Hook's way, Emma already knew how Regina had gotten a text from her phone.

Killian, that sneaky, but magnificent bastard.

"He's a Nick's," Emma informed the brunette. "He left a note. I was just going to leave this here for him and go."

"So you can run off with Captain Guyliner?" the mayor sneered. "Typical."

"And if you hadn't spent the better part of the day with Chief Smells like Forest," Emma fired back. "That might have actually hurt my feelings."

"And that's my signal to be off," Hook said and when the Savior attempted to follow him, he shook his head. "No, you have to face this, Swan. I'll be on my ship if you need me."

Then he was gone and Emma was left to deal with the one person she wanted to avoid like the plague.

"Well?" Regina drew her attention with that one word.

Emma sighed. "Can we talk?"

"We're talking now."

"No, we're being snarky assholes. Which I'm fine with but I'm pretty sure our son won't be."

Playing the Henry Card was perhaps a low blow but it was the only thing that could get Regina to forget about being a sarcastic ass for more than five minutes.

"Follow me, Miss Sw-" Regina shook her head and tried again. "Come with me, Emma."

* * *

 **Please lemme know what you think with a review. I try to respond to all of them. And if you like my stuff, come and follow me at my new and slowly improving tumblr (MurderouslyAdorkable) or even on Twitter MurderouslyCute.**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N:** And now for the conclusion of this fict. There's a bit of a teaser for this fict's sequel which will be very SwanQueen + Henry-centric but also darker than this fict and you'll see why at the end. Enjoy.  
 **Song Used:** Slipping from the Dr. Horrible's Sing Along Blog  
 **Rating:** T (For Mild Dark Themes  
 **Warnings:** OutlawQueen Scene, Sad Ending, Prequel Fic  
 **Prompt: "** Ever since Prince died ( R.I.P) I've been dreaming of Emma singing or performing When Doves Cry to Regina while either she's with Robin or they're in the store with Cora, Neal, ect."  
 **Summary:** See Chapter One  
 **Chapter Summary:** Emma and Regina finally talk things out. Regina is left with an important decision but before she's able to make it, life gets even more complicated.  
 **Disclaimer:** See Chapter One

* * *

" _Love is a joint experience between two persons - but the fact that it is a joint experience does not mean that it is a similar experience to the two people involved."  
_ ― Carson McCullers

* * *

The Mayor opened the door and waited for the Sheriff to follow her inside before she locked the door behind them. Glancing at Emma, Regina knew the blonde wanted to speak with her but she wasn't quite ready for that. Instead she headed to her kitchen with Emma, silently at her heels.

Regina put on a pot of water for tea and pulled a half-eaten apple pie out. (Thanks to Emma actually, she had these cravings late at night when she couldn't drift off to sleep.) As the water heated up she took two forks out and slid one to the Savior before she picked the other one up and took a bite of the pie.

"Thank you…" Emma said, taking a bite herself.

"You're welcome…" the brunette replied, slightly annoyed.

Emma cocked an eyebrow. "Try not to sound so excited, your Majesty." When Regina glared at the blonde and stabbed a piece of pie with her fork, the Savior sighed, heavily. "Sorry."

The tea kettle whistled then and for the moment Regina ignored Emma so she could prepare two cups of tea. "Sugar?"

"No, thank you…"

"Okay."

The brunette sighed, rolling her shoulders back. There wasn't a person in this world or any other that unnerved her the way Emma always had. First as Henry's birth mother. Then as the savior. Now, as a woman that always looked at her with such admiration that Regina didn't know how to carry herself most of the time. So she reverted to things that had always felt comfortable, sarcasm and food.

"You wanted to talk, Emma," she said, plainly. "Well…"

The blonde took a breath and let it out slowly. It seemed ridiculous having this conversation in Regina's kitchen but there wasn't another place in her home where they both felt comfortable. Family dinners had them both spending more time in this room than any other. If they had this talk in the Study it would have given Regina the advantage.

The fact that she had even given any thought to Emma's comfortability after what had happened between them, left the former Queen in a state of complete and total discombobulation.

"Regina…"

"Emma…"

"You're not going to make this easy for me, are you?"

The brunette took a deep breath and let it out. "Emma, we just thwarted yet another curse. I do not have the energy for this."

Silence befell them as they stood on opposite ends of her kitchen island. Regina tried not to look at Emma directly. It had only been hours since the curse was broken but she had done her best to avoid being alone with her. And if she looked at Emma, the memory of that kiss would come rushing back in all its confusing glory.

"Regina…" She tensed at the sound of the Sheriff's voice. "We should talk about what happened."

"Nothing happened," the Mayor stressed, finally venturing to meet her eyes this time. She watched Emma faltered for a moment, suddenly unsure of herself. A change of pace from their previous interaction. She watched as the Savior processed what Regina said before she chose to ignore it completely.

"We kissed," Emma said as if Regina unaware.

"You kissed me," the former Queen reminded her.

"You kissed me back." The blonde did have her there.

Regina offered a simple shrug. "I was cursed and people behave strangely when they've been cursed. If you're seeking absolution then I absolve you of any wrongdoing."

Emma shook her head. "I'm not looking for forgiveness, Regina. I just thought that kiss changed something between us."

The Mayor frowned. "I don't know what you want me to say, Emma. Yes we kissed. But it does not change anything. I'm with Robin. You're with the mangy pirate."

"I'm not with Killian anymore."

"I'm sorry, what?" she asked, coming around so there wasn't a countertop between them. She was slightly shorter than Emma, but that didn't and wouldn't stop Regina from trying to appear as imposing as possible.

"Please tell me you didn't break up with him because of what happened in the cave? You have to be reasonable, Emma. Hook is your True Love. Just like Robin is mine. And as much-" the brunette let the sentence die, and began to turn away from the blonde. But a steady hand on her arm stopped Regina.

"And as much what?" Emma whispered, her free hand cupping the Mayor's face. She ran her thumb over the brunette's cheek. "Talk to me, Regina."

She felt Emma's breath brush against her face and she watched green eyes dip down to her lips for a moment before Emma met Regina's gaze. Heat rushed up her face and she let out a shaking breath. She mirrored the blonde, glancing at her pale lips. Regina almost reached up to touch them, just to see if they were as soft as she remembered, then thought better of it, and looked down at her feet. But Emma's hand moved from her face to the back of her neck, tilting her face up and pressed her lips against Regina's. The hand on the Mayor's arm traveled to her waist and slid up her back, pulling her close to Emma. Her back was suddenly against the countertop and the blonde lifted her up. The brunette made a surprised sound but she didn't forestall Emma's advances; goosebumps rising on her skin as she locked her arms behind the Savior's neck to steady herself.

She shivered, her voice trembling. "Emma, we shouldn't."

"Don't push me away, Regina…" The Savior's words wers soft, and there was a moment's hesitation before she closed the gap between them, pressing pale lips against wine-colored ones ever so gently. Emma tested the waters. Gentle pecks at first, and then the blonde parted the brunette's lips with a careful swipe of her tongue. It was slow and it was almost as though Emma didn't know what to do, or how much she should be putting into the kiss. Neither did Regina, truth be told.

The former Queen made a sound low in her throat as she leaned into the blonde. The kiss deepened and Emma wasn't asking for permission anymore now that Regina had granted it. The Sheriff wasn't as tentative as she had been before and the Mayor responded in kind. Regina lost herself in that kiss, and tried to keep up with Emma. There was no self-doubt anymore. Just the feel of nimble fingers on her skin, Regina's arms around Emma's neck, her hands running through his curly blonde hair.

Regina sighed contently. This wasn't better or worse than Robin, she tried to convince herself. It was just different. Robin treated Regina like she would break. He was always so uncertain; hesitant; he handled her like she was made of porcelain. But with Emma all there was now was certainty. Like she was trying to prove herself with this kiss. She wasn't deterred by Regina's past. She accepted everything about her.

The Savior's hands moved from their innocent positions and ventured across the brunette's body. One slipped under the back of her silk shirt and the palm of Emma's hand was against the small of her back. She pulled Regina closer as her other hand ran through raven locks.

When the Mayor eased away from the Savior it was only to catch her breath. "Emma..." she began, her voice a little lower than she had intended. "I..."

The Sheriff pulled away. "Tell me to go," she said, absentmindedly running her fingers over Regina spine. "...and I'll go..."

The sound of the door opening seemed to echo in the kitchen, and Regina pushed Emma away, before she slid off of the counter. She looked up at the blonde and immediately regretted it. The Savior looked so shatterable, like Regina literally held her heart in her hands and green eyes silently pleaded with the former Queen not to break it.

"Mom? Moms?" It was Henry.

"We're here in the kitchen," Regina called.

Henry came into view a few moments later a happy expression brightening his features. He looked between his mothers with a hint of confusion. And Regina was grateful when he ignored it and addressed them.

"There's a party at Granny's," he informed them. "Everyone's going."

"I guess that means we have to go too, kid," Emma replied, not once looking at Regina.

"Cool," he said with grin. "Who's guitar is that by the front door?"

"Yours," Emma told him. "It's why me and your mom were here talking. I wanted to make sure it was okay that I gave that to you."

Regina opened her mouth to refute that but thought better of it. If she told Henry that hadn't agreed to anything, his curious mind would try to work out what they were talking about in truth. And she couldn't have him getting his hopes up. Because two kisses later and Regina was no less confused than she had been when her memories came back to her in the cave.

"Yes, but school comes first. And you'll have to get lessons," Regina added. "If you want to keep the guitar."

Henry nodded. "Thanks, Moms."

Emma smiled but the light didn't quite reach her eyes and that broke something in Regina. She wanted to go to her, to comfort her but it seemed wrong, especially if Regina hadn't really made any conscious decision.

"Go start the car, Henry," Regina told him, handing her keys. "We'll drive to Granny's together."

"Mom, are you coming with us too?" Henry asked Emma.

"I…" the Savior sighed. "Naw, kiddo. I'll be there later. I've got something to take care of."

And then Emma was making her way to the front door, walking out of Regina's home and perhaps her life. And she didn't know if she could let that happen.

"Wait, Emma…" she called. "A word?" Regina looked at Henry. "I'll be outside in a second."

"O…kay…" Henry replied, sensing the awkwardness and left the kitchen without another word.

Regina waited until she heard the door shut before she spoke again. "We can't do this, Emma… we just can't."

She could see the Savior's heart breaking. But Emma didn't lash out. "I get it, Regina. You're with Robin. You love Robin."

"No," she said abruptly. "I mean, yes… I mean, yes, I love Robin. But… I don't know… Why did you have to kiss me?"

Emma shrugged. "It seemed like a good idea at the time. Look, if you're telling me you choose Robin, just say it. Then I can start to move on. But if-"

"Emma, just stop…" Regina cut her off. "Look, I care about you. I more than care about you. And that kiss in the cave… I can't ignore it. We can't ignore it. But I won't pursue something with you until I've sorted things out with Robin. I won't treat you like my dirty secret. If we do this, we have to do this right. I'll speak with Robin tonight. If… If this is something you still want."

The blonde chuckled and dared to give her a peck on the cheek. "See me after."

* * *

"Hello. So, not to puncture the party, but did you check on Zelena?"

When he asked it, she can see why she fell in love with him, why she still loved him. He's a good man. He had a kind heart and she knew that whatever happens he'll be an amazing father her sister's baby. It made this all the more difficult. He loved her. But so did Emma.

"Still locked up," she informed him. "Still pregnant. But that's something we'll be able to deal with."

"Together." The sincerity in his voice clenched around her heart like a vice. "So, Will is looking after Roland. Perhaps I could take you for a walk in the moonlight?"

"Perhaps." The smile she gave him is genuine though she knew that this was the end.

The Mayor glanced over to the Sheriff, quietly speaking with Maleficent's daughter. She smiled when she noticed Regina looking. The blonde's expression was so trusting, so hopeful, like she had complete and utter faith in the reformed villain. And while that scared her, Regina also found some comfort in that. Emma had seen her as the Evil Queen, and still believed in her when no one else did. If there was magic in True Love, what kind of magic could be found in the love of someone that never stop fighting for you?

"Henry, will you be okay for a few minutes?" Regina asked, the new Author.

He smiled, opening his book. "Yeah, Mom. I'll be fine."

She stood and Robin offered his hand. "Shall we?"

The Mayor nodded and they set off. The cool night air was a welcome reprieve from the hot spring they were currently experiencing. Her and the Outlaw walked the quiet streets of Storybrooke hand in hand. Robin did most of the talking while Regina tried to find the courage to speak the words that seemed to be caught in the back of her throat.

"Regina, what's the matter?" he asked, when he eventually noticed how taciturn she'd been.

"I… well…"

Then she heard footsteps and panicked voices.

"Where is it?!"

"We don't know."

"It just disappeared into the night."

The two idiots and the Savior.

Regina rushed over to them. "Hey, what's going on?" she asked. Then she noticed, the state Emma was in; bleeding from her shoulder. "You're hurt."

The Savior waved her off. "I'm fine. It's shallow."

"The Dark One…" Hook interjected. "It's no longer tethered to the Crocodile."

"What?!" That certainly got her attention. "Where the hell is it?"

"It hasn't gone anywhere," Emma supplied as Dark Magic swirled around them. "The Darkness... It's surrounding us."

But it wasn't. Regina couldn't explain it but she felt it, the Darkness. It was calling to her, to that piece of herself she tried to keep buried. The part of herself that would always be the Evil Queen. And she when it circled around her, the brunette wasn't surprised. Frightened, frozen in abject terror. But not surprised. There would always be a part of her that found peace surrounded in darkness.

"Regina!" Robin cried as the Darkness enveloped her. "What's it doing?!"

"What darkness does…" the Savior replied, quietly. "Snuffing out the light."

"I'm not gonna let it." Robin charged forward but was thrown back.

"That's not gonna work on this thing!" Emma told them. "The Apprentice told me we have to do what the sorcerer did! We have to tether it to a person to contain it!"

She didn't see him move. She didn't know he was there, none of them did, until he rushed toward Emma, ripping the dagger from her hand before anyone could stop him.

"Henry!" Emma called to him, trying to pull him back, only to be thrown by the Darkness.

"No!" Regina's eyes were already red and puffy, tears obscuring her vision."There has to be another way!"

"There isn't," he told her. You've worked to hard, Mom for it to end like this. You deserve to be happy for once. You both do.

"No!" Emma shouted, struggling against three grown men who were in turn struggling to hold her back. The Darkness wasn't letting them get near it.

Henry, to his credit he put on a brave front. Though she could see the terror in his eyes, Regina also could see his inner strength. Even when he smiled and looked between his parents. "Moms, Snow White and Prince Charming figured out how to take the darkness out of the Savior once. You can do it again... As heroes, the both of you.

"Henry! Henry, please!" Regina begged. "No. Don't do this."

"I love you, Mom."

Emma pulled herself free and screamed, "No!"

But it was too late. The Darkness engulfed their son, raising him high off the ground, as he cried out and tried to fight it off. As soon as Regina could move, she sprang into action, throwing all of her magic at it to no avail. Even the extra boost of light magic from the Savior did nothing to free Henry. And they were made to watch helplessly as their son was engulfed by the Darkness and then vanished.

The dagger clanged against the road, mocking Regina with every high pitched twang of metal bouncing on asphalt. Until it settled, ominously still. And the weighty, soul-crushing reality of it all hit her like a ton of bricks when she saw the name engraved elegantly on the blade's face. A name that meant they had failed. A name that meant she had failed.

 _Henry Mills._

Why?

That's all she wanted to know.

Why?

Why did a 13 year old boy willingly take on the Darkness to spare her?

Why didn't anyone stopped him?

Why was she still standing here and Henry wasn't?

Tears pricked her eyes like a million tiny shards of glass and she finally pried herself away from Robin's embrace to slowly stalk toward the Dark One's dagger.

"Regina…"

A hand closed around her wrist and tried to pull her away.

"Regina…"

Another strong clamped down on her other wrist and pulled her back. Her eyes flashed with anger and her lips curled into a sneer, bearing teeth.

"Don't, Robin," Regina warned. "I just watched my son get swallowed up by a vortex of pure evil. I cursed an entire realm with less provocation."

He let her go.

Regina took the dagger in her hands. It felt heavier than she thought it would. There had been times, especially toward the end of her reign when she thought of taking this dagger and killing the Dark One. But as much as she had reveled in the Darkness that level of power always scared her. Her thirst for vengeance would have torn apart the realm. Even as deep as she got, Regina always held on to what may have seemed like a foolish delusion at the time, that she could somehow pull back, use the Darkness to exact her revenge and then be done with it.

"Henry Mills…" Regina said, tracing his name. "I summon you."

Nothing.

She gripped the dagger a little tighter, her voice was a little surer.

"Henry Daniel Mills… Appear."

Still nothing. Not even a whisper. She couldn't feel the Darkness anywhere.

"Henry…" her words caught in her thought. "Please come back."

"Regina…"

It wasn't Robin this time.

Emma knew better than to touch her. Not when she was so close to ripping apart worlds just to find their son. And normally that would have been the correct thing to do. But this wasn't normal. Not even for Storybrooke.

She couldn't stand to see Emma there, bleeding slightly from the shoulder; her eyes red and watery, with this lost expression on her face.

Regina couldn't stand it.

She didn't remember raising her hand. She didn't remember balling it into a fist. But she does remember the sound the punch makes, a wet thud, the sound of flesh hitting flesh. The force of the blow rocks Emma's head back, and busts her lip open. Before she can recover, Regina is on her, a slap, another, again and again. After a while, her blows lost their accuracy, and a moment later she was pounding on Emma's shoulders, yelling, screaming, though Regina couldn't tell someone what she had said. Until finally she lost all momentum and collapsed against the blonde, softly sobbing.

"Our son is gone…" she whispered.

"I know," Emma said, wrapping her arms around Regina. "We're going to get him back."

"But he's not in this world. The dagger-"

"Then we'll find him. We will always find him."

* * *

 **Two Months Later...**

"What are you guys doing here?" The dwarf punctuated his question with a loud sneeze.

They were all standing in Granny's dinner, dressed strangely. As Regina looked around at the stunned and confused faces she realized that no one had a clue how or why they were here.

"What happened?" Mary Margaret asked.

Her Prince stated the obvious. "We're back."

"Bloody hell," the pirate breathed.

Regina's brow furrowed in deep thought, trying to work this out. "This doesn't make any sense. We were just walking into Camelot."

"What the hell are we wearing?" Leroy asked, turning to his fellow dwarf. "Sneezy, what happened? How long were we gone?"

"Six weeks," his compatriot replied.

"What?" Regina asked, though she already had an idea what caused this. Having lived through a Dark Curse or two herself, this had Dark Magic written all over it.

"Our memories... they're gone." Again David offered an obvious observation.

"Again?" Mary Margaret asked to no one in particular.

"Where's Henry?" At least Emma knew what was important.

Regina heard something… someone humming. But as she looked around she couldn't find it's source.

 _Look at these people – amazing how sheep'll show up for the slaugh-ter;  
No one condemning - you lined up like lemmings, you led to the wa-ter._

Others heard it too and soon they were all searching for the singer. They didn't have to search long as the doors to the dinner whooshed open and a cold breeze cut through the rising tension like butter. And there was Henry, dressed in all black; a simple uniform, slacks with a overcoat that had a high collar, and riding boots.

He looked at the sea off terrified faces, with a sinister grin. And that's when she noticed his eyes. They weren't green anymore but a torrent of orange, yellow, and blood red. As he stepped forward, his skin shimmered with little flecks of gold under the moonlight.

He had yet to address them and continued his song.

 _Why can't they see what I see? Why can't they hear the lies?  
Maybe the fee's too pricey for them to realize, your disguise is... slipping  
I think you're slipping..._

"Henry?" Emma called to him. "What happened to you?"

"Isn't it obvious?" their son replied with a sneer. "You went to Camelot to get the darkness out of me. And you failed."

Sneezy interrupted Henry with a giant sneeze and the teenager regarded him with a curious tilt of his head, as he just noticed the dwarf was wearing Emma's red leather jacket. "What the hell are you supposed to be?"

He doesn't wait for a response before turning him into stone. Ends surges forward but with another wave of his hand the Savior is rendered immobile.

The action triggered gasps from the room. But Henry seemed unphased. In fact he revelled in their fear, continuing his song as he tormented the others.

 _Now that your savior is still as the grave you're beginn-ing to fear me,  
Like cavemen fear thunder – I still have to wonder, Can you really hear me?  
I bring you pain, the kind you can't suffer quietly. _

_Fire up your brain, remind you inside you're rioting  
Society is… slipping… Everything's slipping… away… _

Regina had seen as much as she could stomach. "Henry, stop. That's enough."

"Or what?" he challenged.

"Or I'll be forced to use the dag-..." Regina reached for the Dark One l's dagger at her side, only to find it undeniably absent.

"Looking for this?" Henry inquired, producing the dagger seemingly out of thin air, as thunder clapped in the distance. "Nobody's gonna touch this dagger but me. Now, for what you all did to me…" He unfroze Emma with another flick of his hand. "You're about to be punished."

"Henry," the Savior called to him."Why are you doing this?

"Because…" Henry explained. "I am the Dark One.


End file.
